The latest Yu Darvish MLB and fantasy baseball news

Texas Rangers SP Yu Darvish has a willingness to pitch more inside to hitters this year, as new manager Jeff Bannister has stressed it to his ace. Darvish threw only 30% of his pitches to the inside third of the strike zone or farther against right-handers last year, and he relied heavily on his wipeout slider. Bannister thinks it'll lead to quicker outs for Darvish and then lead to longer outings.

Fantasy Tip: If Darvish enters the 2015 season fully healthy and past the elbow issues that shut him down last year, he should be firmly entrenched as an ace for fantasy baseball owners. A more aggressive approach on the hill for the Japanese righty could lead to bigger and better numbers over a full season.

Texas Rangers SP Yu Darvish (elbow) impressed teammates with a scoreless inning in an intrasquad game Sunday, March 1. Darvish also explained that he didn't quit on the team at the end of last season when doctors told him to shut it down for the final seven weeks of the season with a right elbow injury. Darvish said he will have a more "aggressive" approach to pitching this year at the suggestion of manager Jeff Bannister. Darvish topped out at 94 mph Sunday and ended the day with a 62 mph curve ball. "He's ready," C Robinson Chirinos said of Darvish. "The way he looked today, he's ready for opening day, and we still have 30 days of spring training. That tells you he's going to get better from now on."

Fantasy Tip: As long as everything continues to look good for Darvish this spring, he should be considered a fantasy ace. He may come at a little bit of a discount than he previously does because of his elbow concerns from last season.

Texas Rangers SP Yu Darvish (elbow) impressed pitching coach Mike Maddux during live batting practice Wednesday, Feb. 25. "I thought Yu was very good, very sharp," Maddux said. "The guys couldn't pull the trigger on him. And then when they did they had a hard time. His stuff was good across the board."

Fantasy Tip: So far, all reports concerning Darvish are glowing, but they usually are during spring training. Continue to view Darvish as a low-end No. 1 starter. However, the case would be there for top-tier billing without injury risks. Expect Darvish to be drafted early, and he should be considered a solid fantasy ace.

Texas Rangers SP Yu Darvish (elbow) threw "very well" during the first bullpen session of the first official workout Saturday, Feb. 21, and he has no issues with his elbow, according to pitching coach Mike Maddux. Maddux also noted the ball was coming out of Darvish's hand clean, and Darvish had good command of his pitches.

Fantasy Tip: Darvish has ace upside, and he could come at a discount in drafts because of the injury concerns. Over 83 starts during his career, Darvish has a 11.2 K/9 mark and struck out a league-leading 277 hitters during the 2013 season. As long as there are no setbacks during spring training, building your fake pitching staff around Darvish is a great starting point. Expect him to fly off the board in the third or fourth round on draft day.

Texas Rangers SP Yu Darvish (elbow, back) said that his elbow and back felt great prior to the team's awards dinner Friday, Jan. 23. He added that he was able to participate in his regular strengthening program this offseason, unlike last year. Darvish is expected to throw off a mound for the first time around Feb. 2, although the date is not etched in stone and he could resume throwing sooner or later.

Texas Rangers SP Yu Darvish (elbow) received positive results from his MRI exam Tuesday, Nov. 25, by Dr. Keith Meister, and Darvish has been cleared to start his normal throwing schedule. He expects to start throwing in early December.